


Love potion

by Anonymous



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Confessions, F/F, Fem!rhink, Fluff, Mentions of toads and owls, Pre-Slash, cheek kiss, teen!rhink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 07:20:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29946435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Rhett is unable to ignore the huge crush on her best friend. But instead of confessing, she decides to pay a visit to the local witch to obtain a love potion at any cost, even if the potion requires unusual ingredients like owl feathers and toad skin.
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin & Link Neal, Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4
Collections: Anonymous





	Love potion

"So, let me get this straight, I need to find……owl feathers and toad skin?"

"Yep. Only way to make the potion very potent."

"You're spewing bullcrap anyway."

"Well, then why are you still here then?"

Rhett exhaled a very lengthy and weary sigh. An hour ago, she had just discovered this little dingy witch tent, with a sign hanging from the flap promising to provide potions for everything. Intrigued, she stepped in and asked for a potion, but the cost and necessary ingredients required to brew it was downright ridiculous. Upto this moment, she had been bargaining with the witch to make the potion more feasible, but the tall lady wouldn't budge a bit.

Then why waste her energy for an absurd liquid? Well, the reason actually originated six weeks ago, in Rhett's colorful sticker-ridden bedroom. She and her best friend Link were watching a movie together while sprawled over pillows on the floor; a usual norm on Sunday afternoons. Link had lost interest and was fiddling with the threads on an unicorn plushie, while Rhett flipped channels to find something more interesting. One of the channels caught her attention, and that moment flipped her world upside down completely. Meanwhile Link was unaware to the mental somersault taking place in her friend's mind.

Two women were on the screen, blushing intensely and slowly inching their faces forward, unable to stop giggling. Then, an intense, heated stare was shared. Slowly, perhaps even taking a whole year, they brought their lips together, melting into each other. When they did part, they rested their foreheads together, and quietly whispered their promise to be together forever.

The very intimate scene painted Rhett red from her head to her toes and made her heart flutter wildly. She knew she shouldn't be watching these lovers' private moment, but yet wasn't able to tear her eyes away. Even when the scene had well ended to let the advertisements glare on the television, her mind replayed the kiss over and over again. Except that, in each replay, the actresses' faces slowly morphed into two familiar ones - one belonging to herself, and the other belonging to her best friend's.

"Why are you watching ads?" Link's question startled her to the core, making her gasp loudly in response like she had just been caught red-handed stealing her mom's wallet.

"Nothing!" She squeaked shrilly.

"Huh? I just asked why you're watching ads? Why're you shoutin'?"

Rhett tried to compose herself before answering, but her thrumming heart wouldn't cooperate. "I was just thinking…."

"What?" She was prompted after failing to complete the previous sentence.

"Nothing. I'll get more orange juice." Without waiting for an approval, she dashed downstairs to the fridge, hoping that a cold drink would clear her mind. And it did, but only for the day.

That night, she let herself daydream the scene again, with she and her new crush again, many times until her eyelids gave way to slumber. And days after that, she spent her time imagining their future life together as lovers; their future home with lots of cereal and pudding for Link along with lots of puppies and ponies. She even found herself intensely jotting down in her diary how beautiful they'll look when they grow up and ride off into the sunset on motorcycles to get married. The cheesiness of some of her dreams made herself crumble in embarrassment sometimes.

The crush was getting too intense, and she desperately wanted to talk to someone about it. She had no other friends as close as Link. And talking to Link about her crush on Link was obviously forbidden. She also caught herself being more nice to Link too, like giving her whole chocolate bars, giving her her own pocket money, and trying to make her laugh more often. At times the thought of confessing did shoot across her mind, but the fear that Link might be at the best case, uninterested, and at the worst case, repulsed, clamped her down in fear.

So when she heard the witch rambling about the love potion that was almost a hundred percent success sounded like heavenly chorus to her. With this mystical liquid, she could finally confess to her crush without worrying about ruining their friendship. If she could only obtain it without any hassle. By now, she had walked out of the tent, cycling back home as she recalled the ingredients. 'A red rose. 10 owl feathers. A toad skin. Something belong to her crush, and 40 dollars.'

She also recalled that the witch stays in town for only 3 days, leaving on Monday morning. So she must spend her whole weekend finding the ingredients at any cost. This also meant that she wouldn't be able to see Link this weekend. The thought hurt, but it wouldn't be much of a loss if the potion worked, she mused. She pedalled home faster.

The first thing she did when she reached home was break her piggy bank to collect forty dollars, her five months' savings. Next the rose. She can just beg mom to pluck one from her prized rose bush.

"Mama! I need one rose!" She dashed downstairs to the living room, where her mom was knitting.

"No, the roses are not to be touched."

"Mama, just one rose, please!" She tried to lower her voice, unwilling to make her mom mad by mistake.

"For what?"

"For a special potion….it's a secret!"

Rhett's mom looked at her incredulously for a few seconds, then rolled her eyes. "Only one. Take from the lower branches. Also, Link called earlier this afternoon."

Rhett mumbled a hasty thanks and ran to the garden with scissors. She cut a large one, then ran to the kitchen and dialled down her favorite number on the telephone. Three rings, then a click.

"Hey Rhett!" Link's voice was cheery. "Where were you?"

"Just went to buy some soda."

"Okay. Come to my house now. I've got cousins over. They brought a big fun board game to play."

"Well.." A small flare of jealousy popped up, but she snuffed it out with the thought of the potion. "I can't come. I've homework."

"We completed it yesterday in class itself, dummy." A giggle followed.

"Oh yeah, forgot. Umm, mama asked me to help in the garden. It'll…it'll be a while."

"Oh." The tone carried a twinge of disappointment, which made Rhett's heart sink.

"Sorry. I…. We'll hang out tomorrow. Promise. By the river, okay?"

"'Kay…" came the half-hearted answer, and immediately after she slammed the phone down and ran upstairs to her room. She can worry about making up to Link later. Now, she had to find owl feathers. She picked up a basket, some money and headed off to a strip mall where she was sure to find some. She spent the whole day there, trying to locate the old trinket shop that sold feathers along with odd items. By the time she procured the coveted feathers (unsure of their authenticity but it was the witch's fault for not specifying if only real feathers are accepted), she headed home under the evening sky.

\------------

"Rhett! Wake up! Link's on the phone!"

Her mama's loud cry shook Rhett awake from her dreams. Oh. Yeah. The promise to hang out the next day. She couldn't believe she almost forgot about it. But she had to yet find some toads. Not today then. She wobbled downstairs to pick up the dreaded call.

"Hey Link." Sleep lingered in her voice.

"Hey sleepyhead. River today, remember? When are you coming?"

"Uh, I…I can't come today." Making sure she was out her mama's earshot, she continued, "Mama needs my help again. The flowerbed isn't done."

"Uh, why? Can't you help her tomorrow?"

"No….she won't let me go. Maybe for the whole day. I'm free only for tomorrow."

A long pause hung over the line. Rhett's heart quickened, thinking that Link hadn't bought the lie.

"Okay," came the drawn-out answer. "See you tomorrow then."

"See ya." She slowly dragged herself to the upstairs bathroom, then slumped against the mirror. The guilt was beginning to eat at her, but the potion could be her only chance. She couldn't give up now. She brushed her teeth, hastily ate breakfast and headed off to the riverside with a basket to find dead toads.

By the river there are a few marsh ponds with a plentiful population of toads, flies and other bugs. If luck were to favour her, she'd only have to find old dead toads, else she'd have to catch some and hit them with a log until they die. She prayed that she'd have no need to commit this gruesome act, then stepped into a bog with her sleeves rolled up.

The sun now shone overhead, blazing merciless hot rays. And Rhett still hadn't found a toad. Her stomach grumbled loudly, and she cycled home to appease the rumbling beast. She had a few sandwiches and greens for lunch, then returned shortly to the pond, this time with a butterfly net. She would find a toad at all costs that day.

Time slipped by like water off a duck's back. She was so focused in her task that she tripped into the murky waters in surprise at the voice behind her.

"So, this is what your mama and you call gardening?" Link raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms.

"How did you find me?" Rhett tried to shoo a giant fly away from her mouth.

"I came to show you my new toys. And your mama told me where you were." Link looked at the empty basket and the butterfly net on a nearby rock. "What are you doing here?"

"Um, finding toads…" Rhett picked herself up and looked annoyed at her wet overalls. Mama's going to kill her that evening.

"Oh, what for?" Without waiting for an explanation, Link rolled up her sleeves too and jumped into the bog. "Dissecting one?"

While Link peered into a clump of reeds, Rhett stared at her mouth agape. She slowly approached her, like a sleeping baby in a crib. "No….. we use frogs for that. I need toads for… something."

"For what?" Link paused her search, giving Rhett full attention.

"It's…..for….a….secret." Rhett burned up under her observant stare and hung her head down.

"Oh, c'mon!"

"If you can catch one, I'll tell you."

"Deal." Already regretting having pitched this challenge, Rhett resumed her search with more energy. If she finds first, she'd not have to tell her about the potion and the crush. But luck had other plans. After what seemed like a few hours of hunting, Link finally found one, clutching the dead thing in her fist over her head with a giant smug grin.

"Okay, now tell me what's this for."

"It's for nothing, really!" The sun touched the horizon; its sight making Rhett panic.

"You promised, so now you have to tell."

"Just gimme the dang toad!" She reached forward in frenzy, but Link stepped far away from the bog, out of her reach.

"If you don't tell, I'll throw this away!"

"FINE! I dare ya!" Rhett was quite furious now. Her angry glare took Link aback, slowly dropping the toad to her side in fear. Rhett ignored her and stooped down to pick it up, then began walking towards her basket.

"It's just a dumb toad, dunno why you'd be so mad." Link's sad mumble tore her heart apart. She left her basket on the ground and walked back to her friend.

"I need the toad," Rhett began to explain solemnly. "For something."

"For what?" Link repeated, this time quite gravely.

"It's …secret. I can't tell you." When she received no response, she returned to her basket, mind going blank in the awkward silence. Then, the quietest of sobs reached her ears.

"You don't want to be friends with anymore, right?"

No, no, no, no, no. This isn't what Rhett wanted. She ran to Link and stood before her, sweating profusely under panic. "No! That's not true! You're my best friend, you know that! No!"

"But," Link rubbed her arm under her nose and continued, "you kept avoiding me for the last two days. If you're my friend you wouldn't have done that." She put her head down, trying to keep the tears at bay.

Rhett wouldn't forgive herself if she saw Link cry. The truth must be spilled; she'd be damned then.

"I…I saw a witch two days ago. She said she can make any kind of potion you want. I asked for a love potion, and to make that I need toad skin, owl feathers and one red rose."

Link looked up at her, confused. "Why do you need a love potion? And for who?"

"So…." Rhett gulped loudly, hoping that this wouldn't go wrong, "So that I can kiss you."

An eerie silence stood between them, making Rhett's heart pound like tumultuous thunders. Then a small snort, followed by a brazen laughter escaped Link's mouth, perplexing her to wit's end. "You don't need a love potion to kiss someone, dum-dum!"

In the quietest of squeaks, Rhett asked, "Then?"

"You ask them to kiss you!" Link stated like it was the obvious truth.

With a small bud of bravery that bloomed somehow inside her, Rhett decided to take the leap. "Then, can I kiss you?"

Link smiled, then stepped forward; their noses almost touching. She gave the tiniest of nods, then pressed her lips onto Rhett's cheek. It might have only a few seconds, but it felt like eternity to her; felt like having been carried by angels themselves to cloud nine and back. She could only stand still, eyes popped open in ecstatic wonder. And when those lips drew away from her skin, she couldn't help but whimper.

"Don't worry," Link softly assured her, "You can give me lots of kisses later. First, we need to get out of these dirty muddy clothes." Still spellbound, and drowning in Link's blue eyes, Rhett nodded in response. They took each other's hands, then walked towards their bikes to head home, dreaming together in silence of the new facet in their friendship.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Critical comments are really appreciated! And please comment if you find any mistakes!


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